Story of a Pace Car
by FireSaturn
Summary: This is the movie through the eyes of the yellow pace car. I named him Edison Axle.


Here's a little blurb about the Official Pace Car that is seen in the movie, CARS.

This is his story.

**A Day in the Life of a Pace Car**  
by Firebird (FireSaturn)

Big race today.

This is where all those racecars speed around the oval track to try and take pole position from the leader. Same old thing. sighs Do I sound boring to you? I bet I do.

That's because I'm the Official Pace Car. My job is to get in front of the racers and slow them down whenever there's debris on the track that might cause serious damage. The yellow flag signals me and I get out there and do my job.

Ya know, waiting behind the wall where Pit Row is may seem to be a bit of a snore, but I like it. It gives me a lot of time to think about other stuff. My wife, my two daughters, my son. Sometimes I just start to daydream that I'm at a quiet little place than at this noisy racetrack.

I look up at the big plasma screen and see the racers up close. There goes Chick Hicks, that devious green stock car who has caused a lot of accidents in the past. And there's The King, a legend of the racing circuit and about to retire. My daughters are hoods over bumpers for him. And, oh, there's that rookie, Lightning McQueen I believe is his name.

Suddenly, there is a loud crash and the yellow flag drops to signal me out into the track. I appear in a flury of flashing lights and position myself in front of Lightning himself. He was way in the back of the pack and I don't know how he ever got through that wreckage.

I try not let my thoughts wander and keep my mind on my job, but I am curious to whatever had occured on the track. Soon, the green flag drops again and I scamper out of the way as quickly as I could while the racers that survived the wreckage speed up and continue the race.

Again, I sit behind the Pit Row wall, waiting patiently for the next yellow flag. My thoughts turn to other things. I'll probably find out what had happened when the race is over.

Oh, by the way, my name is Edison Axle.

**Edison Axle and the Tiebreaker Race **

Edison here.

Let me tell you what has been happening lately.

Well, I found out that this last race has turned out to be a tiebreaker race between the King, Chick Hicks, and Lightning McQueen. From what I can figure out, they are going to meet up in California to decide the winner for the Piston Cup.

I am still Pace Car even for this last race. My wife, Joanna, was disappointed. She and I were going to spend our upcoming wedding anniversary together. She is a tough camper, though, and supports me to the fullest. Chrysler, I'm lucky I married that pretty little green Ford Escort LX.

She, I, and our daughters began our journey over to California in the late morning, stopping at Roadside Rests for a quick nap and nourishment to tide us over during the long drive.

Finally, three days later, we arrived at Los Angeles where the tie-breaker race was going to be held. It was a shock to discover that one of the racers were missing. Everyone wondered where he was and hoped that nothing bad had happened to him enroute to California.

We waited two more days before we were notified that a phonecall had been recieved by some reporters and they were now broadcasting live in a little town called Radiator Springs along Route 66. Jo and I tuned in to the live action news and saw the missing racecar. He looked different, almost as if he had changed over the week that he gone missing.

"Look at his paint job," Joanna exclaimed, indicating McQueen's new '50s style paintwork, "He doesn't even look like a racecar anymore."

"Well, not that he's been found, they're going to give him back his original racing colors," I explained to my wife, "It's Piston Cup rules."

We switched off the TV and made sure our daughters, Mia and Tia, were tucked in for the night. They're rambunctuous little girls, I might add, and they have a lot of growing up to do. Hopefully, they'll turn out like our son, whom I proud to say will soon graduate college. Joanna wants the whole family to be there for his graduation day.

The next day was clear and sunny, a good day for racing. I kiss my wife and daughters goodbye before I leave to take my place as the Piston Cup Pace Car. Joanna goes to find her place in the audience and the twins go off to act as groupies to Chick Hicks.

It begins with a wave of the flag. As I watch the plasma, King takes the lead, with Chick Hicks close behind him. But it seems that Lightning is lagging behind or either unfocused on something else other than the race. I see him almost hit the retainer wall and skid into the infield, leaving just King and Chick on the track.

_Poor kid. I hope he's alright,_ I thought.

Then sudden excitement erupts from Pit Row and a glance over to behold a sight that I never imagined that I would see in my entire life. Acting as crew chief for McQueen was none other than the Fabulous Hudson Hornet himself. And his pit crew are a ragtag group of cars who cheer the young racecar on.

The race builds almost to cresendo levels and I watch in amazement as McQueen performs a few tricks that he had probably learn during his stay in Radiator Springs. I make a mental note to take my family there later.

Then suddenly, he shoved hard by Chick and one of his tires pop. He heads over to pit row when the yellow caution flag drops. I drive out and position myself in front of King and Chick, slowing them down. King must've noticed my hidden anxiety and kept Chick from getting too close to me. The green stock car had once slammed another Pace Car into wall, damaging her greatly.

It was not even five seconds, when McQueen came speeding from Pit Row and passed me. I zoomed into Pit Row and let the three racers continue their race when the green flag dropped again.

With a few clever manuevers, McQueen kept his place in front of King, who now was determined to keep second place. Then, suddenly, King went flying into the air after Chick had given him a hard shove and tumbled for some minutes before coming to rest all mangled and broken.

His damage reminded me of what that Pace Car had went through. The memory is still fresh because that Pace Car was my sister, Heather Axle. I winced at the sight and tried not to think that my sister had been in the same situation.

I saw McQueen back up and gently push King back onto the track and across the finish line. Everyone began cheering and I teared up (believe me, I actually cried with joy at the sight).

_I wish you were still here to see this, Heather,_ I thought as I looked skyward, _You would've cheered like everyone else is doing now._

I met up with Joanna and the girls later after the celebrations have died down.

"Oh, honey," Joanna nuzzled my fender affectionately, "I'm glad you kept your cool when you were pacing the racers. Wasn't that a sweet thing that Lightning did?"

"I believe it was," I replied, returning the nuzzle.

"Hey, Dad," said Mia.

"Yes, Dear?" I asked, looking at the young Mazda girl.

"Can we go to Radiator Springs? That's where Lightning says he's going to set up his big racing headquarters and we want to go live there," said Tia.

"The girls managed to convince me that life in the small town would be better than living in a big city," said Joanna, a smile appearing on her front.

"We can go check it out," I said to Mia and Tia, "But the final decision is up to your mother and me."

The girls took this answer as a yes and cheered, circling us as Joanna and I laughed at the antics of our daughters.

Until next time.


End file.
